Wrench



' 1,639,710 P. D. STOWELL WRENCH File d Nov. 16, 1925 jar/671207 Presto/7 D. 5 To we,

6 /4' I! y warm' y- Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

WRENCH.

Application'filed Hovember 16, 1925. Serial No. 69,377.

This invention relates to devices for rotating round objects and more particularly to wrenches of the kind employing a chain or flexible member looped around the object to be turned for applying the rotational force thereto.

Wrenches of the prior art requiring movement of the handle in an angular direction around the axis of the object being turned are limited in their utility by the limitations of the space within which the handle may be moved. On many occasions it is desirable to rotate a pipe, rod or other object in a congested space occupied by other pipes, or in a space where it is impractical to rotate the pipe by movement of the handle. These difficulties are accentuated when it is necessary to apply a large rotational force to the Work as when it is necessary to remove a pipe from an old installation, or where a large size of pipe is to be rotated.

Objects ofthe present invention are to overcome the above difficulties; to provide a wrench adapted to exert any desired rotational force without requiring an excessively long handle and without requiring movement of the handle to rotate the work; to provide a wrench adapted for efficient and relatively easy operation by a smaller number of workmen than is ordinarily required with prior wrenches; to provide eflicient means for tensioning the flexible member of a chain or similar wrench independently of movement of the frame of the wrench; and, generally, to improve the construction and operationof devices of the kind referred to.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a wrench is provided with a frame adapted to remain stationary while rotating work in engagement therewith. A flexible member for imparting the desired rotational force to the work is looped around the work and around a drive element supported by the frame. Means are provided for suitably tensioning the flexible member in a direction such that the wrench cooperates most effectively with the work, the arrangement of parts being such as to brace the wrench against the work and to overcome any tendency for the work to roll out of operating relation with the wrench.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be understood from the detailed description which followsin connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side View of a wrench, a portion being in section taken along line 1l, Flg. 2;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the wrench at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental View of a portion of one jaw of the wrench showing anti-friction mechanism applied thereto; and

Fig. 5 is a view of the anti-frictionme'chanism taken at right angles to Fig. 4.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the wrench 10 is shown applied to a piece of pipe or other cylindrical work 11, The end of the wrench is provided with angularly disposed jaws having hard, smooth bearing surfaces 12, forming anti-friction abutments against which the peripheral surface of the pipe engages in sliding contact while the axis of the pipe is held substantially fixed. Surfaces 12 are shown disposed at an angle of approximate- 1y 90 degrees with each other, but may be disposed at any other suitable angle to engage thepipe. efficiently. The angle between each surface 12 and the longitudinal center line of frame 10 is preferably the same, so that the center line passes through the axis of the work, in order that the work may be symmetrically held with respect to the jaws of the wrench.

The handle end of frame 10 is provided with opposed internally recessed members 13, providing guides 'for the sliding block 14, carrying the pulley 15 adapted to grip the chain or other flexible member 16, which is looped around pipe 11. Pulley 15 is fast to shaft 18 journalled in block 14 and having the gear 19 fast thereto. Pinion 20, meshing with gear 19, is fast to shaft 21 journalled in block 14 and having crank handle 22.

. The ends of recessed members 13 areheld in spaced relation by block 23, to which they are bolted or otherwise connected. Screw 24 at its upper end is fast to sliding block 14 and passes through a clearance hole in block 23. Internally threaded nut 25 engages screw 24 and is rotated by handle 26 for controlling the position of screw 24 and block 14 along the longitudinal axis of frame 10. Chain 16 is looped around pipe 11 with a suflic-ientnumber of turns to insure the desired frictional contact with the pipe, the hook 27 at one end of the chain being caught on a link at the other end of the chain.- The chain may be tightened to the desired degree by rotating handle 26 and nut 25 in such a direction that slide 14 moves toward block 23. Crank handle 22 may then be turned in such a direction as to give pulley 15 and pipe 11 the desired rotation. Pulley 15 is preferably of relatively small diameter in order that the rotational force of shaft 18 may be utilized to the best advantage for obtaining a maximum pull on chain 16, and in order to reduce the size of the mechanism of the wrench. Any desired rat-i0 may be chosen for gears 19 and 20 such that, with a iven force applied to crank 22, the desired force will be applied to pulley 15 and chain 16. More than vtwogears may be provided, if necessary, or some other method of multiplying the force transmitted to pulley 15 may be utilized.

Arms 28 and 29 of the jaw end of the wrench are spaced apart sufficiently to leave room therebetw'een for the desired number of turns around the pipe and to allow of free movement of the chain when turning the pipe for the various diameters of pipe for which the wrench is adapted. By positioning arms 28 and 29 on opposite sides of the chain and pulley 15, th'e jaws of the wrench may be firmly seated on the work and there is no tendency for the wrench to get out of position or slide axially 'of the work.

Bearing faces '12, which ordinarily engage in contact'with the work being turned, may be slotted by providing therein a U- shaped channel 30, Figs. 4 and 5, for antifriction rollers 31 which reduce the friction between the'work and the wrench and are free to rota e in the H-shaped frame 32 within which they are supported by shafts 33. Frame 32 seats on bearing surface 12 and is held against movement transversely to slot 30 by rollers 31 engaging the sides of the slot. Slot 30' is of such a depth that rollers 31 are free to rotatethereinwithout engag ing the bottom of the slot. Rollers 31 with frame 32 are adapted for ready application to or removal from surfaces 12, so that pipe 11 may engage the wrench directly, as shown in Fig. 1, or may rest on rollers 31 as shown in Fig. 4, two pairs of these rollers being provided for each of the arms 28 and 29, each of the two divisions of each arm having a pair of rollers for its bearing surface 12, there being four sets or pairs of rollers in all forthe wrench. When the rollers are placed in their approximately correct positions, they automatically move into proper engagement with the pipe under the action of the tension of chain 16 pulling the pipe toward the wrench.

The wrench is particularly adapted to rotating a pipe or other object in a space so small that an ordinary wrench cannot be used or where insufficient space is available for moving the frame of the wrench to rotate the pipe. After chain 16 has been suitably tensioned by adjustment of sliding block 14, pipe 11 may be rotated to any desired extent in either direction while frame 10 remains stationary. When an excessive'pull on chain 16 is required to rotate the pipe, the chain may be given sufficient tension by movement of block 14 under the control of handle 26, to insure that the slack or non-pulling side of the chain loop does not allow the chain to slip around the pipe.

The points of engagement between pipe 11 and the jaws of the wrench are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center line of frame 10 and the axis of the pipe through which this center line passes. Furthermore, the chain is tightened in a direction along the center line of the frame substantially equidistant between the points of engagement of the wrench'and pipe, the pipe being thus drawn more firmly and positively into engagement with the wrench when the chain is tightened. The work, while being turned, is thus effectively braced against any tendency to roll out of operative relation with the wrench. The symmetrical disposition of the jaws with respect to the frame of the wrench and the mode of rotating the work make it possible to reduce greatly the space occupied by that portion of the wrench in the vicinity of the work where space is usually most needed under difficult working conditions, and the arrangement whereby the wrench may operate without angular movement of the frame, still further conserves this space. It isto be understood that the described form of Wrench may, if desired, be moved angularly to rotate a given work piece, in a manner similar to that of the more usual forms of present day wrenches. When so used, axial adjustment of block 14 provides convenient means for controlling the grip of the wrench on the pipe without depending on the angular movement of the wrench to furnish the gripping force.

By increasing the length of frame 10, the leverage of the wrench on the pipe may be increased to any desired extent, whereas, in prior wrenches requiring rotation of the frame of the wrench, it is usually impractical to increase the length of the handle in a congested place because of the additional sweep required for a given angular rotation of the plpe. In accordance with the present invention it is therefore possible to apply a given force to a pipe or other piece of work by a relatively small effort on the part of the workman or workmen operating the wrench. That is, heavy work may be handled by a smaller number of workmen than to'chain 16, it bein would be required ifa wrench of the type a direction to force the work toward said operated by-angular movement of the handle were used. A further advantage of the described invention is that a compact mechanism may be provided for applymg any desired force feasible to make the frame 10 relatively s ort, owing to the ease with which movement of the frame may be blocked while obtaining the desired rotation of thework, as compared with the difliculty of moving with the same force, a wrench of the type requiring rotation of the frame.

I claim:

1. Ina device for rotatin cylindrical work,'a frame having spaced a utments for receiving the work therebetween, a flexible loop for rotating the work, means for positioning and driving said loop while said frame remains stationary, said loop being so disposed as to force the work toward said abutments along a line passing therebetween.

' 2. In a Wrench, :11 frame having angularly disposed aws for receiving the work, a flexible loop for rotating the work, and means for directing the runs of said loop to and from the work wherebv the force driving said loop in either direction forces the work toward said jaws.

3, In a wrench, -a frame having spaced abutments for receiving the work, a, flexible loop for rotating the work, means for driving,said loop, and means whereby said loop, independently of the driving force thereof, may be tensione'd in a direction to force the work toward said abutments.

4. In a device of the class described a framehaving jaws for receiving work to be rotated, a flexible loop for rota 'ng 'the work,

means for driving said loop while said frame remains stationary, and means for applying anon-driving force to said driving means wagrd said aws.

- In a device'of the class described, a

' framehaving'spaced abutments for receiving the work, a flexible loop for rotating the work, means for driving the loop, and means whereby said loop, independently of the driving force thereof, may be tensioned in abutments, said last means including a slidable support for said driving means and means for varying the position of said support.

6.- In a device of the class described, a frame having jaws for receiving work to be rotated, a flexible loop for rotating the work, a block slidably mounted in said frame, an element pivoted in said block for driving said loop, and means for varying the position of said block relatively to said jaws. for controlling the .tension of said loop, said block being so positioned that the runs of the loop urge the work toward said jaws.

7. In a device of the class described, a frame having angularly disposed ja'ws for receiving work to be rotated, a flexible loop for rotating the work, and means for controlling the tension of said loop along a line substantially equidistant between the points of engagement of the work with said jaws. 8. In a device of the class described, a

frame having a plurality of pairs of spaced abutments for receiving the work, a flexible loop for rotating the work, and means for tween each of said jaws and the work, a

flexible loop for rotating the work, and means for directing the runs of said loop to and-from the work whereby the force driving said loop in either direction urgesthe work toward said anti-friction means.

10.. In a device of the class. described, a

frame having .angularly d sposed jawsfor receiving the work, anti-friction rollers between each of said jaws and the work, means whereby said rollers may be slidably adjusted on said jaws, a flexible loop for rotatlng the work; and means for directing the runs of said loop to and from the work whereby the force driving said loop in either direction urges the work toward said rollers.

In'witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 14th day .of November, 1925.

PRESTON/I). sTow L 

